# Guardian Sword vs Abalon

The clearest difference is update cadence: Abalon at every 2 days against Guardian Sword's every 5 weeks. Abalon also leads on ratings volume (1K vs 111). Guardian Sword's advantage is iOS requirement (8.0 vs 13.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Guardian Sword sells 12 one-off in-app purchases and Abalon sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Guardian Sword against 4.8 for Abalon. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Abalon has 1K ratings behind it against 111, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 92% of Guardian Sword's written reviews are positive against 84% of Abalon's.

Guardian Sword ships an update every 5 weeks, Abalon every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Guardian Sword | Abalon |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (111 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/guardian-sword/id589760934/reviews) | **[4.8 (1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/abalon/id1235934798/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 111 | **1K** |
| Positive reviews | **91.8% of reviews** | 84.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 144 MB | 117 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 9+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Picsoft Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/453447825) | [D20Studios, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/516465511) |

## What reviewers say

### Guardian Sword

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/guardian-sword/id589760934)

Embark on an epic journey in this strategy puzzle RPG, combining classic charm with unique gameplay. Customize your puzzles with a vast array of tiles and abilities to devise limitless strategies. Level up your character, battle diverse enemies, and uncover an impressive story.

**Highlights:** Customizable puzzles with 40 unique tiles, Over 20 special skills and ultimate attacks, Teammate system with specific skills, 120+ enemies and challenging bosses, Character leveling and upgrades, 90+ maps across a large world, Weapon and armor shops

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pile of Coins | $0.99 | one-time |
| Pile of Gems | $1.99 | one-time |
| Bag of Coins | $1.99 | one-time |
| Bag of Gems | $2.99 | one-time |
| Sack of Coins | $2.99 | one-time |
| Sack of Gems | $4.99 | one-time |
| Box of Coins | $4.99 | one-time |
| Bahamut | $6.99 | one-time |
| Box of Gems | $9.99 | one-time |
| Chest of Coins | $9.99 | one-time |
| Gems Factory | $19.99 | one-time |
| Personal Bank | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Enjoyable gameplay
- 🚀 Addictive and engaging
- 💡 Unique RPG-style mechanics
- 👍 Generous free-to-play model
- 👍 Satisfying progression system

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
- 🔍 Repetitive gameplay at times
- 🔍 Difficulty spike in later levels
- 🔍 Some translation issues in text

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes during boss battles
- Inability to restore progress after device change

**Requested features**

- Ability to continue game after completion
- Higher resolution graphics for larger devices
- More enemy variety and boss battles


### Abalon

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/abalon/id1235934798)

Engage in tactical turn-based combat and deck-building strategy in a tabletop-inspired world. Command units, cast spells, and outwit opponents with creative combos and strategic positioning. Explore diverse biomes, collect cards, and build the perfect deck to become a legend.

**Highlights:** Turn-based tactical combat, Deck building strategy, Top-down battlefield control, Over 500 unique cards, Character-based abilities, Creative combo system, Procedurally generated world exploration

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Animal Gear | $3.99 | one-time |
| Angels & Demons | $7.99 | one-time |
| Dark Legion | $7.99 | one-time |
| Mean & Green | $7.99 | one-time |
| Space & Time | $7.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fantastic strategy game
- 👍 Fun game
- 👍 Highly recommended
- 👍 Great for busy RPG parents
- 👍 Way better than expected

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Not recommended at the moment
- 🐛 Very unbalanced and costs $30
- 🐛 Game crashes after loading
- 🐛 Koumpounophobia (fear of buttons)
- 🐛 Controlling units is frustrating

**Reported bugs**

- Bugs in second chapter dungeon
- Unable to use satchel items

**Requested features**

- Controller support for Backbone and other third party controllers
- More variation in encounter types
- Dark mode option


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Guardian Sword free?

Guardian Sword is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Abalon free?

Abalon is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Guardian Sword or Abalon?

Abalon is rated higher. Guardian Sword averages 4.8 out of 5 from 111 ratings, while Abalon averages 4.8 from 1K ratings.

### Do Guardian Sword or Abalon have ads?

Neither Guardian Sword nor Abalon shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Guardian Sword or Abalon?

Guardian Sword ships an update every 5 weeks, and Abalon every 2 days. Most recently, Guardian Sword was updated on October 20, 2026 and Abalon on October 29, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*